Chai Time Pullover – Wear Over Time

I purchased this Chai Time Pullover which has recently been re-released back in November in this same Dark Classic Sports Grey (there is also a blurred grey available). Since then I get a lot of questions from readers asking me how the delicate fabric has worn over time and if I recommend it. I realized that I have a much newer Mudra Wrap in similar fabric and color purchased in early April so I can show you a comparison. I’m happy with both purchases and use them frequently. My Chai is well worn, enough that I probably wouldn’t sell it on the exchange, but I still like to wear it a lot and I expect that a fine knit like this would show some wear over time. I really love wearing the Chai over top of a Modern Racer Tank and when I feel like wearing something a bit more put together then a sweatshirt but not quite dressy my Chai Pullover or Mudra Wrap are my go to items. None of my knits have snagged or developed holes but there is a fuzziness to the Chai Pullover as well as some pills under the arm which I pick off occasionally. Again, shedding and fuzzing is something I expect with a knit so I’m not fussed by this at all.

I wash all of my clothes using Country Save Powdered Laundry Detergent ever since I experimented with cloth diapers and learned about maintaining absorbency and wicking properties in fabrics. It’s a low residue, zero fragrance (which takes some getting used to), zero optical whitener powdered detergent and it washes clothing beautifully for dirt cheap and is adaptable to HE front loaders. Low residue detergent is really the key for preserving fabrics and maintaining moisture wicking qualities so I’m pretty married to using this detergent with all of my clothes. It doesn’t hurt that this detergent is also dirt cheap. Anyways, I also wash my delicate knits all together, occasionally with things like my Pima or Vitasea Modern Tanks and Tee’s, and keep my Mudra Wrap and Chai Pullover in a mesh bag and then lay flat to dry on a wire laundry drying rack. My point is that I’m as careful in the washing of my fabrics as is possible so this is a pretty reliable measure for you.

Overall I would say that the Chai is definitely worth getting if you love the style and aren’t fussed by a bit of shedding in the knit and are willing to wash it carefully. If your someone that likes your clothes to be pristine and perfect after several washes then the fuzzing and pilling in the underarm may bother you. I love wearing my grey Chai over my Pink Mist or Tango Red Modern Racer Tanks.

This image has been altered using ‘clarity’ setting on my iphone so it’s not super accurate as far as lighting goes but it’s made the pills in the underarm more visible and you can see the fuzzing over the front of the shirt. Chai Pullover on the left and Mudra is on the right and although the Mudra Wrap is not as fresh as the day I purchased it, the knit is still tight and has minimal fuzzing and shedding.

This is an unaltered photo with the Chai Pullover on the left and the Mudra Wrap on the right. You can see a bit of the fuzzing on the Chai. The worst fuzzing is across the bust and in the underarms. I don’t think I would trust a depiller to remove the fuzzed fabric on a fine knit so I pick the pills of myself and smooth down the fuzzy areas with my hands. Static tents to make it worse but I don’t use fabric softeners and the sweater doesn’t look sloppy when it’s on so I’m not bothered by it.